We’ve Got Lice: What’s Next?

When you get a letter from your child’s daycare or school that lice have been found it can certainly bring on a feeling of panic. There may be a time when you discover lice on yourself or another family member at home, and this is just as upsetting. So, you know you have lice, and your question is “What do I do now?”

The first step is to get rid of those lice, fast! Unfortunately, there many over the counter and prescription products that don’t work, or work halfway but aren’t successful at a full eradication of lice. Some products are even dangerous, and can cause problems like skin redness, swelling, itchy skin, and respiratory issues. Some studies have linked them to autism and different types of cancers. Many of the products that have been identified as ineffective Lice Treatments or potentially dangerous include the over the counter products with permethrin/pyrethin, the highly toxic prescription Lindane, Malathion, Benzyl Alcohol, or Vaseline/Olive Oil/Cetaphil treatments. Regardless of which treatment you choose, and we hope you choose a safe one, manual removal of all lice and nits is critical to insure that your head lice will be gone for good.